A school in New York canceled a lecture by a Holocaust survivor due to opinions on Israel and Palestine

In one of the Brooklyn schools, a meeting with Holocaust survivor Sami Steigmann was refused. The administration explained that his message, related to support for Israel, was deemed inappropriate for students. This was reported by The New York Post.

MS 447 Principal Arin Rush directly stated that the parent’s request for the speech was rejected. In her wording, the topic touching on current relations between Israel and Palestine “does not fit the school’s format.” The decision caused noticeable resonance.

The New York Jewish Teachers Union reacted sharply, calling the situation “terrible.” At the same time, the city Department of Education and Mayor Eric Adams’ office supported the principal’s position and indicated that the school has the right to choose speakers considering the educational environment.

The mayor’s office, through a press service, emphasized that Adams considers it important for young people to hear stories about the Holocaust as a warning to future generations. But this particular candidate, they added, did not meet the requirements of the specific institution. Meanwhile, the city intends to continue bringing other Holocaust witnesses to schools.

The Department of Education clarified that meetings with survivors are held regularly. And similar events have already been conducted at MS 447. Each lecturer is evaluated separately to exclude political agitation, especially around topics that currently cause controversy and tension.

Rush clarified that the parent wanted to invite Steigmann on November 18. However, an analysis of the materials on the speaker’s website showed the administration that his approach might cause tension for the school audience. The principal added that the school is looking for other speakers — those who can talk about the Holocaust without delving into political contexts.

Sami Steigmann himself is 85 years old. He was born in the territory of modern Ukraine in December 1939. His family survived a labor camp in Mogilev-Podolsky, many relatives perished. Later he lived in Israel, served in the Air Force, and in 1968 moved to the USA, maintaining a close connection with Israel.

On his official website, he writes about the need to give young people hope and teach them not to be indifferent to what is happening around them. However, his personal Facebook page regularly contains materials about the history of Jewish presence in the region and posts touching on Arab-Israeli conflicts. This, according to the school administration, became the sensitive element.

One of the recent examples was Steigmann’s post about the 1939 “Palestine” football team consisting of Jewish players, accompanied by a remark about the Jewish identity of the territory. In other publications, he spoke about the actions of Arab armies in 1948 and called for a sober view of events, including the Hamas attack.

In the Brooklyn Jewish community, the school’s decision was perceived ambiguously. Jewish teachers’ union leader Moshe Spern called it “unacceptable self-censorship,” reminding that Holocaust survivors have the right to tell their stories without filters. He noted that such decisions create the risk of depriving students of the opportunity to hear real testimonies.

City Council member Inna Vernikov also spoke sharply. According to her, the refusal is a restriction on the voice of those who survived the Holocaust and are trying to counter the rise of anti-Semitism among young people. She emphasized that educational institutions are obliged to support dialogue, not close it.

Steigmann’s story remains an important part of collective memory — not only as a personal experience but also as a reminder of the consequences of hatred and propaganda. And it is against this background that the controversy around his canceled speech became another example of how U.S. educational institutions try to balance between a safe environment and the right to historical testimony.

In recent days, the topic has been actively discussed again, and many note that such decisions increase tension around issues of the Holocaust, Israel, and anti-Semitism in American schools. For our publication, it is important to record such cases because through them it becomes clearer how the public atmosphere is changing and why the dialogue around historical memory requires precision and responsibility. This is how we understand our task within the framework of NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency.